Article 16/10/2017

7 school fundraisers that’ll always be gold

By Lauren Rutter

 

From the one hit wonders to the repeat earners.
This is the ultimate list of trusty and reliable fundraisers for every school calendar.

 

 

 

 

1. Handball Tournament

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Friendly competition? – No, this is war.
A handball tournament is a fun and cheap fundraising option that could be hosted at the end of each school term. Students pay to enter, a draw is arranged and handball courts are set up; then students compete through heats until the finals. It could be completed over one school day, or a series of afternoons. One of the few expenses are the prizes but, overall, a handball tournament could raise the funds to replace those library books that have become a little worse-for-wear.

 

2. Cake stall

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Put your money where your mouth is
Give the keen bakers in your community a chance to show off their choux pastry, chocolate fondant or just the selection of muffins from the local supermarket (for those who ran out of time). Cake stalls are great for a little boost in school funds – with the potential to raise enough for some new skipping ropes and cricket gear. Simply set a date and gather a crew of volunteer bakers, then brace for the sugar rush.

 

3. School Carnival

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There’s gotta be fairy floss!
School carnivals are an ultra-popular annual fun-draiser (emphasis on *fun*). First, create a list of game, food and shopping stalls, then assign one to each class and let the students flex their business savvy and creative prowess with the rest. There’s a lot of organisation and promotion involved in hosting a successful carnival but the proceeds could even afford you some new laptops.

 

4. Raffle

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200 tickets please!
Get more bang for your buck by hosting a raffle. All you need are tickets and prizes.
Hint: Ask a few local businesses to donate a handful of products, then make different sized hampers for first, second and third prize. This fundraiser requires some organisation and promotion but can be very cheap to run, you could even make enough profit to buy a new sunshade for the playground.

 

5. Silent Disco

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Get jiggy with it.
School dances are hugely popular fundraising events, but silent discos bring a new spin to the old classic. Students don wireless headphones, choose a station and get down on the d-floor. Money can be raised through ticket sales, however hiring headsets, a DJ and supplying food/drinks can become expensive so it’s important to factor this in when setting the ticket price.

 

6. Pyjama Day

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Let’s bring back nap-time too!
Wouldn’t it be nice if it were socially acceptable to roll out of bed and directly into the day, without the hassle of bathing and changing clothes? On pyjama day, this student dream becomes reality. It can be run cost-free, but promotional posters are an absolute must, or there’ll be a handful of students turning up in their onesies on the wrong day. Charge a gold coin to participate and enough funds could be raised to trick out the stationery cupboard with all the best supplies.

 

7. Bottle and can drive

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OMG – Yes we CAN!
All those containers that are usually tossed in the recycling bin at home are just the ticket to an easy and cheap fundraising hack that’ll boost dollars year-round. Just ask families to bring in their recyclable bottles and cans; then every week, month or term, cash them in with a Cash for Containers recycling depot and you’ll quickly have enough to give the school a fresh lick of paint or stock up on a set of class iPads. Best of all, it’s educational and good for the environment too. Check out Envirobank’s fundraising page for more details on how to get involved.

By Lauren Rutter